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He said: “He’s been out for a long time. We have to get context on this – we haven’t got the ability to just go out and just cherry-pick someone because the cost is prohibitive. We’ve got to do it the Exeter way and we’ve done it a number of times, with the likes David Noble and others, who’ve come here because of circumstances. They’re players I’ve liked and seen and suddenly an opportunity raises its head so we go for it.

“We’ve had a month to look at him and he’s a very committed, competent and hardworking player. He’s not at his best yet, he will be over the next couple of months. The expectation of him should that he’s going to get there – he’s capable of playing now but he’s not at his best yet, he’s been out for a year.

“I was surprised Plymouth hadn’t kept him but that’s their problem, they’ve gone up a league and can do what they want. Circumstances are I’m more than happy for him to come in and compete and, again, he keeps that mean average of our side going forward. He’s the type of player who, in League Two and League One, we need – Robbie Simpson is still coming back from that horrific injury, he’s way ahead of schedule. To have the injury he had, you’d usually look at nine or 12 months but he’s back in five months and running around. It would be unfair to ask him to be the player I signed him for just yet, so we need strength in numbers.

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“Like a lot of business with Exeter, we don’t just cherry-pick the player who’s just played 40 games and scored 20 goals, we have to go and find someone that needs us as much as we need then. Then we get the value and help them along the way.

“Our expectation needs to be he’s ready to play but it will take him four, five or six months to get back to his best, and I’m sure he’s ready for it.”